Biocrust (IMAGE)
Caption
Artist's rendition of the environments of primeval earth in the Archaean, including the well-known aquatic stromatolites that are formed by carbonate-precipitating microorganisms. The close-up inset illustrates terrestrial biocrusts, typically organized by filamentous cyanobacteria, in a photograph of a modern sample. The new study suggests these biocrusts played a vital role in the nitrogen cycle of the early earth.
Credit
Estelle Couradeau
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License
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